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Friday, March 22, 2013

More officials can issue verification certificates for passport applicants now

January 8th 2007

HYDERABAD: Even the station house officer (SI or CI as the case maybe) of the police station of your area or your mandal revenue officer can now issue a verification certificate so as to enable you to apply for a tatkal passport. This has been made possible following the simplification of the passport issuance procedures by the Ministry of External Affairs. Giving the details, Regional Passport Officer, B. Balabhaskar said on Sunday that the list of officers authorised to issue verification certificates for obtaining a tatkal passport was expanded.

The new members (Issuing Authorities)

Officers of the rank of under secretary and above in the Government of India or the State Government were already authorised to issue the certificate. The list now includes sub-divisional magistrates, first class judicial magistrates, officers of the rank of Major and above in armed forces, apart from MRO or SI or CI of the area.

This apart, one could apply for a passport under tatkal and obtain a passport of normal validity of 10 years, by submitting any three of the 14 documents prescribed by the ministry, along with an affidavit. However, one of them must be a photo identity document. The list of 14 documents is: elector's photo ID card; service ID cards issued by State/Central Government offices, public sector undertakings, local bodies or public limited companies, SC/ST/OBC certificate, freedom fighters ID cards, arms licences, property documents such as pattas or registered deeds, ration cards, pension documents, railway ID cards, PAN cards or income tax identity, bank/kisan/post office passbooks, students ID cards issued by educational institutions, driving licences, and or birth certificates issued under Registration of Births and Deaths Act.

No NOC (for Govt. Employees)

Government employees need not submit a no-objection certificate now. They should produce an identity certificate issued by their employer. Chairmen of business organisations like FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM could also issue verification certificates in respect of owners, partners or directors of member companies. Minors could also obtain passports without either of their parents having a passport.